10 Jobs that AI is likely to replace sooner than you think

Artificial Intelligence is undoubtedly the technology which will shape the future and ease most of the human tasks using automation. The use of robots powered with Deep Learning technologies and cognitive capabilities will be a commonplace. But, there’s a darker side to this technological growth. As more and more jobs get automated, job-seekers will not only have to compete with other job-seekers, but the future also implicates that our race will have to compete with AI-powered bots in areas of employment.

Robots have been used in manufacturing industries for quite a while now, to accomplish the same tasks much faster and more efficiently. But, with time, more industries are leveraging the scope of AI and cognitive computing, ranging from the transport industry and stretching as far as customer service. Studies indicate that almost half of commonly held careers are above a 50 percent risk of undergoing automation before 2035.

An interesting pattern to note here is that most of the jobs likely to get replaced by AI are repetitive in nature, and require less time in real-time decision making. With that in mind, let’s glance through a list of jobs likely to be replaced in the earlier phase of adopting Artificial Intelligence.

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Accountant

Humanoid accountant Robot

Humanoid accountant bots are still largely in the development phase, however, many organizations are automating their accounting processes. Soon, there will be no specific requirement for dedicated accounts, payable and receivable employees. Finance jobs might soon be completely automated, as the integration of AI-based technologies will no longer require humans to crunch numbers, or punch them, for the same regard.

The companies currently leading this transformation are Lexmark and Basware, who offer fully automated accounts systems, capable of executing tasks such as matching purchase orders or flagging invoices for payment. Smacc is another firm spearheading the integration of a fully-automated accounting process. The system has to be just fed with the relevant receipts, and the underlying AI will handle, prepare, and examine all of the financial records.

Cab and Truck drivers

Uber’s Autonomous vehicle

Drivers of ride service providers like Uber and Ola could be the next job AI will most likely replace. Autonomous vehicle will soon be a reality owing to the drive from firms like Uber and Google. The service would be a lot more inexpensive and its profits much greater, as the integration of AI will push away lot of these drivers from their jobs. Cities across the world will witness fleet of self-driving cabs within the upcoming decade. Uber has already been testing such vehicles, and Singapore marks the first country to have put up to a dozen on the roads.

This situation is not limited to the plight of cab drivers, as AI will also put Truck drivers and drivers of commodity vehicles out of work. These vehicles will be powered by AI and cognitive technologies, to enable them to self-steer and deliver the right goods at the right place.

Data Entry

Robots can automate Data Entry jobs

Data holds critical value in today’s world and businesses across several verticals are moving on to a data-driven approach. This indicates the importance of entering accurate data, and businesses are automating the way data is collected and processed. Most importantly, by onboarding AI-driven technologies, the chances of human error will be significantly reduced

Sensors can assist in capturing real-time data, which is eventually fed into the backend system. This data can be automatically compared against goals and objectives to maximize efficiency. Automation of data entry processes thus prove more promising, despite the fact that it will replace all the data entry jobs in the market. There is a lot of data around us which needs to be digitized. Integration of AI, despite the drawback, will become an absolute necessity for data entry jobs in the future.

Factory Workers

Foxconn is bringing in more robot workers

Machines have been automating human tasks since ages, reducing their effort and work. However, today’s job floor presents its own unique challenge, one that revolves around automation of all manufacturing processes, one that will also put several factory workers out of work.

Factories today are gradually building an ecosystem which uses robots powered by AI technologies, in place of humans. However, the number of such factories is still countable, as the technology was widely adopted only recently. Companies such as Foxconn is already undergoing this transformation, as they replaced 60,000 employees with robots.

Food Delivery

JUST EAT pilots a Starship robot to deliver food

Another job which might soon be utilizing AI-powered bots, is the food delivery service. These jobs are repetitive in nature and don’t require much decision-making in the process. Just Eat, an UK-based online delivery service, has initiated the use of robots to deliver food in London.

Anglo-Estonian company, Starship Technologies is credited to the engineering behind these self-driving robots. The robots are embedded with GPS and cameras to navigate the capital’s thoroughfares. The robots are also integrated with in-built security and remote-tracking features. In cases of an attempted theft, the robot transmits an alert to the control center, besides capturing a photo of the thief.

Insurance Underwriter

Meet your new underwriter

Essentially an underwriter’s job encompasses vetting an insurance application, so as to determine if the risks involved is worth accepting for the insurance company. After reviewing the application, he/she decides on whether the insurance can be provided, and the amount to be offered.

However, automation has also diminished the value of an underwriter’s job, as these applications can be standardized, and most of these organizations have set rules, comparing which they assert eligibility. The use of AI will help computer systems to learn these rules and apply them in vetting the application. AI will undoubtedly ease the work for most insurance providers, but it will simultaneously put many out of work.

Receptionist

Meet Hilton Hotels’ robot receptionist

This is another avenue being currently explored with AI-based technologies. The inclusion of robots in offices and hotels may not get you the warm embrace you would expect of a human receptionist, but it has been surely designed to provide you with the information you need, in a very efficient manner.

Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi’s flagship branch in downtown Tokyo already has a multilingual android greeting people. The day is not far when hotels and other similar setups would only have robots serving all human needs.

Security Guard

Knightscope K5 robot

With the advent of AI and related machine learning technologies, we are considering a newer world with unexpected technological capabilities. While most of the industry verticals drive their efforts towards incorporating the technology, why must patrolling and surveillance sectors be left behind?

This is another domain, where AI will soon put humans out of work. Robotic security guards are being used currently to monitor businesses, and the day is only approaching closer when these robots will relieve human protection agents of their jobs. The K5robot, developed by Knightscope monitors its surroundings for suspicious behavior, besides garnering the ability to detect potentially criminal “audio events”.

Telemarketer

AI can be the future of Telemarketing

Telephone salesperson are most likely to get washed away by the approaching tide of AI-powered technologies. Currently, sales calls are already being generated by voicebots, leveraging the potential of natural-language processing technologies. Within the next couple of years, the bulk of telemarketing roles are likely to be performed by robots.

Furthermore, the result of extensive automation could implicate in fewer calls to helplines, at least from a customer service perspective. The use of smart systems, remotely monitored by sensors, would help with product maintenance and elimination of potential problems.

Tour Guide

Otonaroid during an event at the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation

The fact that this is yet another job which doesn’t involve decision-making, and is repetitive for most part, makes it extremely vulnerable to be replaced by AI-driven technologies. Human-like androids are already serving as exhibition guides at Japan’s National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation. One of the robots, called Kodomorid evangelizes visitors about new stories relevant to the exhibits, while the science communicator bot Otonaroid can chat with visitors or answer their questions related to science.

With a background in Engineering, Amit has assumed the mantle of content analyst at Analytics India Magazine. An audiophile most of the times, with a soul consumed by wanderlust, he strives ahead in the disruptive technology space. In other life, he would invest his time into comics, football, and movies.